UN, CMG officials highlight global governance, youth power at UN-at-80 event launching ceremony

China

UN, CMG officials highlight global governance, youth power at UN-at-80 event launching ceremony

2025-09-24 02:10 Last Updated At：15:57

The UN-at-80 Campaign with China and the "One World, Shared Future" Global Youth Visual Exhibition opened in Beijing on Tuesday, with senior UN officials and the head of China Media Group (CMG) calling for a fairer global governance system and urging young people to promote peace, dialogue and shared development.

Co-hosted by CGTN and the UN representation in China, the event commemorates the 80th anniversary of the UN's founding and calls for renewed efforts to build a community with a shared future for humankind.

At the opening ceremony, UN Resident Coordinator in China, Siddharth Chatterjee, underlined the institution's central role in addressing global challenges.

"For eight decades, through the rubble of war, and the dawn of new eras, this institution has stood as a testament to a radical idea - that our shared challenges demand shared solutions. It remains the world's essential meeting ground, a place where dialogue can and must triumph over discord," he said.

China Media Group President Shen Haixiong said CMG is committed to working with the UN, international media outlets and youth around the world to break down prejudice and bridge divides.

"Youth is like the rising sun, representing the future. Standing at a new historical juncture, the voices of the younger generation are especially precious. CGTN has launched the 'One World: Shared Future' Global Youth Visual Challenge for the UN's 80th anniversary, receiving over 56,000 submissions from 51 countries worldwide. These pieces capture young people's reflections on peace, development, and civilisation, using their unique wisdom and courage to create a brighter future for the world," he said.

More than 1,000 videos and some 55,000 photos were submitted for the event, covering key UN Sustainable Development Goals such as peace and justice, poverty eradication, and quality education.

"The UN calls on all who stand with it to meet the challenge of this moment. Rally behind the rule of law. Defend our common values. These values, laid down 80 years ago in the UN Charter, are based on the core principles of peace, equality, and dignity - principles that we will never abandon, for the sake of people today and generations to come," UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming said in a recorded message.

Other senior UN figures stressed the importance of youth engagement.

"This global youth event offers a unique platform for your voices, ideas, and visions to reach across borders and generations," said Tshilidzi Marwala, the seventh Rector of the United Nations University and the UN Under Secretary General.

Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, described the UN Charter as "a Magna Carta of our time" and said: "I believe that youth must be empowered to contribute to shaping the future, working across all the pillars of the UN mandate, from peace and security, human rights, but also sustainable development."

More than 100 participants, including diplomats, representatives of UN agencies in China and members of the foreign media, attended Tuesday's event, viewing the exhibition submissions and watching excerpts from CGTN's special anniversary programs.

Eight contributors received certificates for their work, with some sharing the stories behind their creations from the stage.

"Soft landing" of China-EU EV case to significantly boost market confidence: MOC spokeswoman

The "soft landing" of the China-EU electric vehicle case will greatly boost market confidence and inject new momentum into China-EU cooperation in automobile trade and investment, a spokeswoman of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

He Yongqian, the spokeswoman, made the remarks after China and the European Union (EU) agreed on the necessity of providing general guidance on price undertakings for Chinese companies exporting battery electric vehicle (BEV) passenger cars to the EU.

"China and the EU simultaneously announced on Monday that they had achieved positive outcomes following multiple rounds of consultations on the EV case, a development that has drawn wide attention at home and abroad. Industry players from both sides have 'highly welcomed and fully endorsed' the outcome, saying the 'soft landing' of the case is expected to greatly boost market confidence and inject new momentum into China-EU cooperation in automobile trade and investment. Some EU politicians have described it as a positive step toward building a sustainable China-EU trade relationship, and said it demonstrated that resolving trade differences through partnership remains feasible," she said.

"Against the current international backdrop, China and the EU, acting in a spirit of mutual respect and within the framework of WTO rules, have properly addressed the EV case, which is of significant positive importance. The outcome will not only contribute to the sound development of China-EU economic and trade ties and help safeguard the stability of the global automotive industrial and supply chains, but will also send a clear and strong signal that both sides are willing to uphold a rules-based international trading order, setting a good example for countries to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation and injecting greater certainty and positive energy into global economic growth," she said.

"China appreciates the spirit of dialogue showed by the EU side and stands ready to work with the EU, building on the current positive outcomes, to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, maintain dialogue and communication, and support stable industrial and supply chains on both sides, continue to deepen cooperation on the basis of market principles, and make active contributions to the global green transition," she added.